The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-08-04
The Old North State.
BY MAMIE L. H.ATCAETT.

Prepared for the North Carolina Press
Convention at Hendersonville, n. c.,
July 21st, 1887
Fair State of my adoption, that dost deign
10 smile upon my humble Muse, this
feeble Tyre,
Attuued to gladness and ambitions strain.
10 sing thy matches charms would
fam aspire.
Thrice favored land. of memories and of
song.
To tyranny stranger. and the Cypress.
OrS wrong,
Well may thy children and thy patriots
hOar
Turn, with just pride, thy glowing pages
DER,
Formed in those troublous times when
Freedoms fires,
Already kind!ed ON foreign strand,
Were lit Oh virgin hills by patriot sires
And fed by the martyred brave OF every
land,
Thy valiant sons, like hero knights of old,
Were trained in schools of hardship and
of strife;
And from such fathers sprang race as
bold,
Who held their country's honor dearer
than their life.
Thy noble daughters, since those early
When savage red men roamed thy forests
Have by their virtuous deeds won lasting
And Stirred a nation with their counsels
mild.
Oh Carolina, home of the brave and free.
A grand old State thou art and greater
yet shall be,
Thy glorious record and achievements high
Shall deathless shine on hiStory's fervid
page
To tempt ambitious youth the path to try,
And fan with zeal the wasting fires Of
Thy Institutions and luxurious homes,
A people great and prosperous declare,
And ShriekS Advancement" through
the sounding air;
Thy railroads, churches, schools, asylums,
Thy onward march and public veal
proclaim,
Thy statesmen answer to their cOuntry'S
call,
And with fresh laurels wreathe thy hon
Ored name,
Thy vast resources and thy scenes sublime
Have claimed their place on Fame's I'M
mortal sc. oil
| For while the world withstands all-con-
quering Time,
And Nature lives, thy charms can ne'er
grow old,
Thy healing waters and reviving air
PIantrOSeS in the sufferers paIlid cheek
And thousands numbered with disease and
care;
Within thy borders health's pure foun-
tainS seek,
Thy genial climate and thy fertile soil.
, Earth's richest and most varied treas
| ures Yield,
And open to the potent hand of toll
The door to wealth and wonders unre-
vealed.
Those noble waters and majestic streams
That like a network thread our Eastern
shore,
Their hidden mines of gold he only dreams
Who gathers fortunes from their bound
| less store,
And that old.river; from its mountain bed
Leaping from cleft to crag i'll frolic gay,
Pausing to prattle with each tiowery mead
That lay along its swift and tortuous
Reioicingsfrom its source, its turbid tide
Bears many freighted bark to busy
And drives the wheel to useful arts applied
In its impetuOus journey to the sea.
| And yOn proud mountain whose ambitious
peak,
Its Handicapped SUBMITS bathed in azure
light,
Which drapes in misty folds each neigh
boring height,
No rival chain in song or story named
Can boast of scenes more truly grand
than these.
Along their trackless paths the Muse. un
tanned,
Breathes Inspiration in the whispering
breeze.
Ii at the tabled fountain thou would 5
kneel
And quench thy heart-thirst with the
sacred draught,
Go scale those dizzy heights, then shall
thou feel
Hopes light-winged spirit on the breeze
watt
Thy unhedged soul to lands unknown ant
far.
In Thoughts ethereal barque, at Fancy
will;
Thou shalt delighted roam through tim
unborn,
And dream of wondrous things beyont
the bar
Which shuts from earthly gaze jehovah
throne.
To you, brave guardians of our glorious
\ noble work and mission high is given
To fight CORRUPTION with RELENTLESS
hand
Till every curse is from our borders driven
: Knights of the quill, the weapon that yo1
WELD,
\ mighty agent, is for lawful sway:
Be it your care the cause of right t
: And cheer young honor on its yirtuous way